Home for Christmas
by Erik Howlett
Summary: Christmas has finally come to Japan, and Kagome is fixing to spend the holiday with her friends in the feudal era. However, she may be in for a bit of a surprise this Christmas. InuKag, with some MirSan thrown in. Merry Christmas everybody!
1. Tis' the Season

**Hiya gang and Merry Christmas to ya! I thought I'd take a break from my ****Age of Dragons ****fic for the holidays and write you a nice InuYasha Christmas fic. This holiday season, Kagome is gearing up for a Christmas in the feudal era and has bought everybody a gift. However, things may not go as she planned this time around. Remember to R&R as you see fit and enjoy this tale of yuletide cheer!**

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**Chapter 1: 'Tis the Season.**

Winter had finally come to Tokyo and all throughout the city, people were enjoying the spirit of the holidays, which was enhanced by the falling snow. In the shopping district, Kagome was frantically going over her shopping list, checking to see who she may have missed. With Christmas only two days away, she was determined not to miss anyone this year when it came to presents.

"I've already taken care of presents for mom, grandpa, Sota, Buyo, and the girls," she said to herself. "Now I just need to get presents for everyone in the feudal era."

It had been awhile since she'd sensed a fragment of the Jewel Shard, so she'd taken the time to catch up on her schoolwork and work on her archery skills. But now that Winter Break had arrived she was determined to spend a good portion of the holiday with her friends in the feudal era. As she strolled down the snow-covered sidewalk, she pondered on what to give everyone for Christmas. Shippo and Kirara would be no problem, but Miroku, Sango, and especially Inuyasha would be kinda difficult to shop for.

_'I guess it's best to go with who I know to shop for and then worry about the others after that,' _she thought reflectively.

With her plan laid out in her mind, Kagome stuffed the list in to her coat-pocket and headed for the nearest to store. The one she found had a huge, robotic teddy bear sitting over the door, playing a drum with Christmas lights wrapped around its ears. Inside was every kind of toy, stuffed animal, and video-game a kid could ever dream of. Smiling at the merry scene before her, Kagome went about locating the practical jokes section to find something for little Shippo.

"These are perfect for him," she said aloud as she picked out a small joy-buzzer and a flower that acts as a water gun. "He-he-he, maybe now Inuyasha will think twice before hitting him again."

After she paid for the toys and left, she then headed over to a pet store that was nearby. There she picked out a Christmas-themed collar with a bell for Kirara, as well as a cat ball that she was sure the nekomata would have hours of fun playing with. _'Ok, now I just need to figure out what to get everybody else,'_ she thought as she left the store. As the snow continued to fall steadily around her, Kagome wondered what she would get Sango. _'I guess I should get her something that both she and Miroku could enjoy, them being married now and all.'_

At that moment, she passed by a department store and spied a rack of perfume in the window display that gave her an idea. She rushed inside and came out about five minutes later with two bottles of cinnamon and cherry scented perfume, as well as a pair of fluffy red slippers that would keep Sango's feet warm during the feudal era's hash winter. With Sango now off her list, she set about finding a gift for the demon slayer's husband. Seeing that a local Otaku shop was having a Christmas sale, she instantly thought of the perfect gift for Miroku. She went in and picked out a set of _Love Hina _manga novels. _'He may be married now, but Miroku's still Miroku,' _she though with a grin as the cashier rang up the novels and she left the shop.

"Now for Inuyasha," she said as she headed to find her dog-eared friend a gift. But try as she might, Kagome just couldn't think of a present of Inuyasha. For some time now, she and Inuyasha had been dating, but she just didn't know how to give her new boyfriend the perfect Christmas.

_'I guess I'll just figure it out later,'_ she thought as he walked through the Shinto gate that stood over the Higurashi family's front walk. She opened the door and removed her shoes before rapping her fingers against the doorframe. "Mom, Sota, grandpa... I'm home."

"Kagome, you're back," replied her mother's voice. "We're in the living room watching _Its a Wonderful Life_. Come on in honey, there are some people here who really want to see you."

_'Who could she be talking about?'_ thought Kagome as she stepped into the living room. When he looked over at the couch, she jumped back slightly in surprise. There on the couch, sitting next to her family and watching _Its a Wonderful Life,_ was none other than her friends from the feudal era! Inuyasha sat on the couch with Sota sitting in his lap; Shippo sat on the arm with an amazed look on his face **(AN: he's fascinated by the T.V.)**; Miroku sat next to Kagome's grandpa, discussing the finer points of Shinto; and Sango sat next to her husband, stroking Kirara who had fallen asleep on her lap. Seeing that Kagome had come in, they all smiled at her and shouted, **"Surprise! Merry Christmas Kagome!"**

"Guys!" she yelled as she ran and embraced them all in a big group hug. "How did you all get here?"

Fifteen minutes later, after everyone had settled down, Kagome had hidden her presents, and Mrs. Higurashi had fixed everyone a mug of hot-coco with marshmallows, they began to tell Kagome about why and how they'd come there. Apparently, her stories about the Christmas season had really struck a soft spot in all of them, inspiring them to come and experience it with her; also they really missed having her around. Understanding their nostalgia for their friend, Kaede had agreed to twist the sutra that controlled who could enter Bone-Eater's Well, enabling only the six them to pass between the modern and feudal eras.

"After that, Inuyasha introduced us to your family, who agreed to let us stay with you for Christmas," explained Miroku, wrapping an arm around Sango's waist. She punched him hard in the ribs, anticipating his attempt to caress her ass. _"Not now Miroku dear, wait 'till later,"_ she whispered in his ear with a grin. The monk smiled at his wife, but didn't remove his arm from her waist and Sango didn't say another word.

"I figured we shouldn't leave ya alone on Christmas, especially since you made such a big deal about it," said Inuyasha as he sipped his coco and leaned back on the couch. "Besides, Shippo and Kirara really wanted to see you."

Kagome looked over at Shippo and Kirara, who looked up at her and smiled. "We really missed you Kagome," said Shippo, with Kirara mewing in agreement as she nuzzled under her arm. "You were gone for such a long time that I though you'd forgot about us."

"Aww, I could never forget about you guys," she said ruffling the kitsune's hair. "You all mean so much to me that I was willing to spend Christmas in the feudal era if it meant seeing you all again." Shippo smiled at Kagome's offer and went back to watching the movie.

"But now you don't have to," said Sota, who was sitting next to Inuyasha. "Plus, Inu Onii-san gets to spend Christmas with us! How cool is that?!"

"And, its a good thing they all came too," said Mrs. Higurashi. Everyone turned to see that she'd brought in a few boxes containing Christmas lights, ornaments, tinsel, and a myriad of other decorations. "We still have yet to put up the lights, and the nursery that sells Christmas trees this time of year is all sold out. I think that it would help a lot if we had some extra hands around the house, if you all don't mind."

"Not at all Mrs. Hiragashi," said Miroku courteously. "It's the least we can do for imposing on staying here like this. I'm sure we'd all be delighted to help you get ready for Christmas, 'tis the season after all."

"Why should I have ta help put up lights?" asked Inuyasha in an irritated tone. "We're supposed ta be relaxing aren't we?"

_**"Sit boy,"**_said Kagome, a vein throbbing on her forehead. The necklace around Inuyasha's throat glowed, then forced him head-first onto the floor. "Ok, ok, I'm sorry!" replied Inuyasha in pain. "I'll help put up lights and stuff." Feeling satisfied with his response, Kagome simply smiled at him and turned back to the movie.

_'Man, why am I in love with her again?'_ Inuyasha thought to himself as he climbed back onto the couch. Even though he and Kagome had their arguments and she did tend to annoy him every once and awhile, Inuyasha still couldn't help but be in love with her. _'Ah-well, maybe this Christmas thing will prove to be interesting after all. Plus it'll be good for Miroku and Sango ta have some alone time, considering they never got an actual honeymoon.'_

Later that night, after the movie was over and everyone had settled into their beds, Kagome was still up thinking of what she should get Inuyasha for Christmas. So far, she'd come up blank on every idea she'd conceived. It seemed as though it would be impossible to find the right gift for him. As she rolled over under her comforter, she wondered how everyone was adjusting to their new beds. Down the hall, she heard Inuyasha and Shippo snoring and smiled.

_'It's nice to have everyone here for Christmas, but how am I gonna decide what to get Inuyasha? He's so hard to figure sometimes that I wouldn't know what to get him. What would Inuyasha want for Christmas more than anything else?'_

As she mulled over this puzzle in her head, she thought about how he had never really cared for the Tetsusaiga or its sheath. The poor sword was in great disrepair, its once glistening blade dulled and marred by the ware of time, only to be renewed by Inuyasha drawing it from its sheath. The sheath itself was also a mess, its beautiful silken pattern stained by the blood of his adversaries and singed by their flames. Just then, Kagome was struck with a brilliant idea! She would have to be discreet about it, but it _would _absolutely work!

_'I finally know what to get Inuyasha for Christmas!' _

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**Now what could Kagome possibly have planned for Inuyasha on his first Christmas in the modern era? I guess you'll just have to read on to find out, now won't you? And I know that by the time Miroku and Sango are married that Inuyasha and Kagome were dating, its just that when I wrote this I had no clue.**


	2. Deck the Halls

**Alrighty guys, it's Christmas Eve in the Inuyasha world, and the gang has a lot to do before Christmas arrives in Tokyo. Inuyasha, Miroku, Sango, and Shippo still have to get their presents for everyone, and Kagome needs to put her plan in action. But can they all pull it off in time?**

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**Chapter 2: Deck the Halls.**

It was the morning of Christmas Eve, and as the sun rose over the Tokyo skyline, the residents of the Higurashi household were waking up to smell of Mrs. Higurashi's homemade pancakes. In his room beside Inuyasha's, Shippo's nose twitched as the scent of the flapjacks reached his nostrils."OH BOY! PANCAKES!!!" he yelled as he practically flew down the stairs and into the kitchen. His cry of joy waking up the rest of the house, everyone decided to just get up and have breakfast.

"I'm seriously gonna kill him," grumbled Inuyasha as he trudged down the stairs rubbing traces of sleep out of his eyes.

_**"Sit boy,"**_Kagome said as she passed him on her way to the kitchen. Just as he reached the ground floor, he was thrust head first into the floorboards.

"Hey, what was that for?!"

"You really _do_ have no Christmas Spirit at all Inuyasha. Both you and I know you'd never do that to Shippo, so quit being such a bully. He really looks up to you, ya now?"

"Okay, okay, jeez."

"Good morning everybody," said Mrs. Higurashi as the gang gathered around the breakfast table. Shippo, who'd gotten there first, was already working at devouring a huge stack of pancakes stacked higher than he was tall. Once everyone was seated, Kagome poured them all a cup of coffee, which made Shippo more hyper than usual.

"Manthiscoffeestuffisreallygreat! Coffee, Coffee, COFFEE!" he said in a spedup voice **(AN: the words are fused together 'cause he's talking so fast)**.

_'I really need to give him de-café or something next time,'_ Kagome thought as she poured a cup for Sango, who was snuggled up next to Miroku with Kirara on her lap.

After everyone was served and wide awake, Kagome's mother got their attention, as she had an important announcement to make. "Alright, now that everyone's awake we can get down to business," she said with a smile. "Now I know you'll all want to go shopping for presents to exchange tomorrow, so we'll need to work fast to get the house and shrine decorated _and_ get the tree. So, considering Kagome's told me all about you unique talents, I though it best to assign your decorating responsibilities based around them. This means, Inuyasha is in charge of getting the tree..,"

"I'm sure the Tetsusaiga is more than capable of taking care of that," replied Inuyasha, cracking his knuckles audibly.

"Sango and Kirara will take care of the Christmas lights...,"

"Well, that shouldn't be too hard, right Kirara?" Sango asked the nekomata as she tickled her furred belly. The kitten mewed playfully and batted at her fingers.

"Miroku and grandpa are in charge of cleaning and decorating the family shrine...,"

"It would be my honor to decorate such a magnificent shrine," said Miroku, bowing respectfully.

"... And Kagome, Shippo, and I will take care of all the interior decorations, ornanments, and Christmas treats," she finished. Once she was sure everyone had a firm grasp on their duties, she waited until breakfast was finished and helped them pick out the right winter clothing to wear for those who were going outside. Kagome loaned Sango a pair of her jeans, as well as a navy blue Christmas sweater and mittens.

Minutes later, Inuyasha leapt out the door in his usual fire-rat robes, a pair of insulated tabi boots, earmuffs, and a pair of fingerless gloves. Sota, who'd offered to go with him, came out in a thick winter coat, snow cap, mittens, and boots. "Ok gang," Inuyasha said as he hefted Sota onto his back. "Let's get to it!"

**"Right!"** they all replied, splitting up to get their jobs done as soon as they could.

* * *

As the rest of the gang went about their decorating protocols, Sango and Kirara set about untangling the seemingly endless yards of Christmas lights Mrs. Higurashi had given them. After a good seven minutes, Sango finally got them untangled and headed out front to start her job. However, four window lights and three fence-lengths later, she realized that this wasn't as easy as she'd originally thought it to be.

Just as she was about to give up, she felt her Hiraikotsu **(boomerang bone) **scrap against the bark of the tree she'd leaned against to catch her breath. At that moment an idea struck her, one so obvious that she was surprised she hadn't thought of it before. "Come on Kirara," she said getting to her feet, "let's fly!"

Understanding what Sango meant, Kirara transformed into her full-demon form and roared at the joyous thought of flight. She then leaned down and allowed Sango to climb aboard before leaping high into the air and circling the Higurashi residence a few times for good measure. On their fourth pass around the house, Sango removed Hiraikotsu from its sheath and wrapped a length of the light's cable around one end.

"Go, Hiraikotsu!" she shouted as she tossed the boomerang at the house.

From her perch atop Kirara, she watched as her boomerang began wrapping the lights along the dimensions of the roof with surprising speed. After a few moments, the cable began to reach the end of its length and they flew down and caught it just in time. Once they landed, Sango leapt from the nekomata's back and plugged the cord into the outside outlet, right were Kagome said it was. Following a couple of sparks, the lights flickered to life in an array of colors that illuminated the house in a cheery glow. "I guess it wasn't as hard as we thought, huh Kirara?"

The nekomata morphed back into her kitten form and leapt into her owner's arms, purring in agreement. Sango giggled a bit, then turned back to the lights. "They sure are beautiful."

"Whoa Sango, you're done already?" marveled Kagome as she came out to see how her friend was doing. "It usually takes us all day to put the lights up, excellent work! Hey, we could use some help with the gingerbread-men, seeing as Shippo can't control himself. You wanna help?"

"Sure." And with that, the two friends headed back inside, Kirara tailing just behind them.

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While Sango was putting up the lights, Miroku and grandpa were occupied with cleaning the Higurashi family shrine. "This is a truly remarkable shrine," said Miroku in awe. "The calligraphy on the family graves is especially exquisite."

"It's sort of a Higurashi family tradition," said grandpa with pride, "one I hope to pass down to Sota when he's older. But, enough about that, let's get to work." Since this was one of the few places Kagome liked to study, there was a fair amount of cleaning that had been done, but she had missed a few broken boards here and there, and there way a couple candy wrappers lying around. Gladly for Miroku, it didn't take away from the shrine's awe-inspiring feel. Just as grandpa was about to get started, he felt Miroku put a hand on his shoulder.

"No, please, allow me," he offered as he removed the prayer-beads from his right hand and cupped his fingers over his palm. "But I insist that you stay behind me for your own safety. Everything in here but the trash is bolted down, is that correct?"

"Yes, I believe so."

"Good, 'cause it's about to get really windy." Miroku closed his eyes and took a deep breath, slowly uncurling his fingers. As he did this, grandpa could almost swear he heard the low roar of a hurricane. "Wind Tunnel!" the monk shouted, opening his palm to reveal the powerful black hole in its center. Instantly, it drew in any object in the shrine that wasn't secured to something.

Once he was sure he'd got everything, he quickly wrapping the prayer-beads around his palm, calming the wind in an instant. "Now that that's done, what say you and I start on the decorations?" he said nonchalantly as he went about hanging a set of _bonbori_ lanterns.After a moment of wide-eyed disbelief, grandpa reoriented his thoughts and lit a few sticks of incense. "That's some power you have there son," he remarked a few moments later as he lit a group of candles in front of the family graves. Miroku, who was just finishing wrapping a length of tinsel around the last of the shrine's support columns, nodded in agreement. "Yes, it does come in _handy_ in a fight."

"Amongst other things," replied grandpa with a laugh.

Miroku simply smiled at his jest and rapped his _shajuko_ staff twice on each of the graves, chanting an ancient Shinto blessing under his breath in respect. Grandpa did the same, then followed Miroku out of the shrine. _'I wonder if Inuyasha and young Sota are enjoying themselves,'_ thought the monk as they both trudged through the snow back to the Higurashi house.

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"See any of these trees ya think would work for your guys' living room?" Inuyasha asked Sota as they walked through the forest behind the Higurashi residence. It had been twenty minutes since everyone had gone to take care of their decorating chores, and they had spent fifteen of those minutes getting there. "No really Inu Onii-san," said Sota as he looked at the trees around them. "None of them are the right type of tree."

"Ya mean there's a specific type of tree?!" Inuyasha exclaimed in disbelief.

"Yeah, it's called a Douglas fir, and you can tell which one it is by its leaves, which are kinda like needles."

"Kinda like that one over there?" asked the inu-hanyou **(translated as "Dog half-demon")**, pointing at a tree that fit Sota's description perfectly.

"Awesome! Yeah, that's the one! But, its way too huge to fit in the door." Inuyasha looked the tree up and down and saw that the kid was right. The tree was at least 19 feet tall! But that wasn't about to stop him. He simply smirked and clasped Tetsusaiga's hilt, slowly drawing it from its sheath. "Not a problem Sota, no problem at all."

Having fully drawn the Tetsusaiga, the blade transformed into a massive fang-like sword. "COOL!" exclaimed Sota in excitement.

"That ain't all it does," Inuyasha replied with a grin. He crouched low and leapt straight up, clearing the tops of most of the trees. As he descended and came around 6 feet from the top of the fir, he back flipped in mid-air and landed on a branch opposite the tree. Tetsusaiga's edge coursed with immense _kenatsu _**(tranlated "sword pressure." This trait is common among demonic swords)**. "Wind Scar!" roared Inuyasha, slashing at the tree horizontally.

The energy from the slash ripped into the tree trunk, cleaving it in twain. As the top half fell to the ground with a massive crash, Inuyasha dropped from his perch and landed nimbly next to Sota. He then walked over to the base of the now perfect Christmas tree and picked it up. "What do ya say we head back and see how everyone's doing?"

After a moment silence, Sota grinned widely. "That, was, AWESOME!!" he yelled as he followed Inuyasha back to the Higurashi residence. As they trekked through the snow, Inuyasha thought about what Kagome's mom had talked about. If he _was_ gonna get Kagome something, what would it be? He knew he'd have to tell her his true feelings sometime, so why not during Christmas. Only, he had no idea what to get her that would be special and show her how he really felt about her inside.

_'Maybe I'll find her something when we all go to the mall,'_ he thought as he and Sota walked in the back door. "We got the tree Mrs. Higurashi, where do ya want it?"

"In the living room to the right of the fireplace Inuyasha dear," she called from the kitchen.

He followed her directions and stuck the tree into the stand, then went to see went everyone was doing. Stepping into the hall, he skirted around Miroku and Sango, who were a little "pre-occupied" with putting up a clove of mistletoe. Shuddering in feigned disgust, he walked into kitchen just in time to see Mrs. Higurashi pulling a sheet of cookies out of the oven. The smell overwhelmed him instantly, and was so delicious that he felt compelled to try and take one. But before he got within an inch of a chocolate-chip infested star, Kagome gently slapped his hand away with a spatula. "OW! What was that for Kagome?"

"No way Inuyasha! You have to wait 'till they cool down, just like everyone else. Jeez, sometimes you can be just as bad as Shippo."

"Speaking of a royal pain, where is the little guy anyhow?"

"Outside, putting up illusionary lawn decorations," she replied. Sure enough, when he looked out the living room window, Inuyasha saw that Shippo was using his_ Kitsune Youjutsu _**(translated "fox magic")** to create a team of eight, realistic reindeer. A group of his _bushinn_ where just finishing up a sign made of snow that read "Merry Christmas" as he ran up to the door with a wreath in his hands. He leapt up and hung the wreath in one fell swoop before recalling the_ bushinn _and opening the door. "Okay you guys, I'm all finished!" he said as he took off his snow boots and threw his scarf onto the coat-rack.

"Good job Shippo, it looks good," said Miroku as Shippo leapt onto his shoulder.

"So, you and Sango finally quit necking' enough to join the rest of us, eh?" Inuyasha said jokingly.

"Very funny Inuyasha," Miroku returned with a laugh. "I see you brought the tree. It's a truly impressive specimen."

"Why thanks Miroku," returned the inu-hanyou. At that moment, Mrs. Higurashi came in with a plate of fresh Christmas cookies, followed by Kagome, who carried a tray with mugs full of hot chocolate. "Thanks ever so much for helping us decorate. Why don't you all take a break and have a snack?" Needless to say, they all were more than happy to oblige and each took two cookies and a mug, and then settled down by the fireplace.

"Okay guys," said Kagome a few moments later as she finished with the last bite of her cookie. "Now that we've finished getting the house ready for Christmas, I bet you want to get some shopping done for everybody before the prices get too ridiculous."

"Yeah, that would be nice," said Sango as she and Miroku warmed their feet in front of the fire. "But the only money we have is the currency used during the feudal era. How will we buy anything?"

"Oh, I wouldn't worry about that," said grandpa as he cam in carrying a sack. He reached into the sack and handed each of the gang around $1,000 in cash.

"Grandpa is this all from the souvenir shop?" asked Kagome in disbelief.

"Yep, but I figure you kids'll use it better than I would.'Tis the season after all."

"Thank you so much grandpa!" Kagome ran and hugged him as the rest of the gang thanked him up and down for a good five minutes. When they'd finished, they put away their mugs and rushed for their coats. Mrs. Higurashi offered to drive them, but the mall was only a couple of blocks away, so they didn't mind walking. As they headed out the door, it began to snow again. Shippo laughed and tried to catch a few snowflakes on his tongue. Kagome giggled at the fox's antics, filling Inuyasha's heart with a warm feeling in spite of in the chill in the weather. _'I'm definitely gonna find something Kagome'll love for Christmas, no matter what it takes!'_

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**Let's hope that Inuyasha can find what he's looking for. But, I wouldn't worry about it. This time of year, lots of things like this usually workout for the better in the end. Remember to keep those reviews coming!**


	3. What's the perfect gift for Kagome!

**Looks like the time has come for the Inuyasha gang to do some Christmas shopping! It's their first time visiting a modern mall and they're really excited. But can they handle the inhuman terrors of last minutes shopping? Will Inuyasha find something to get Kagome in time for Christmas? Read on to find out...**

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**Chapter 3: What's the Perfect Gift?!**

"WOW!!! This place is so huge!!" Shippo marveled as the gang walked into the mall. Everywhere they looked, there was tinsel, faux snow, Christmas lights and sale signs adorning nearly every store. Last minute shoppers like themselves, where frantically running to and fro as the scrambled to buy their nearly forgotten gifts. "It seems like it would be so easy to get lost in all this rush," remarked Sango.

"It is, especially around this time of year," replied Kagome. "Fortunately for us, they recently installed these interactive directories in specific areas of the mall to help remedy that problem. Just to be safe though, you'd better stay with Miroku, okay Shippo?"

"You got it Kagome," said the eager kitsune from his perch on Miroku's shoulder.

Once they found one of the directories Kagome had spoke of, they each made a mental note of which stores they'd want to visit, in order to get their shopping done faster. Sango, who'd been keeping her husband's present a secret, elected to help Kagome with her shopping. Her secrecy was enough to drive Miroku nuts! _'What __**is**__ she getting me?!' _he though frantically._ 'This suspense is enough to drive me freakin' insane!"_

"Okay you guys, it's about 5:00 now, so let's meet back here at... 7:00," Kagome suggested as she looked at her watch. "That'll give us around two hours to get our shopping done and do some walking around before we head back home for the evening."

"Sounds like a plan," said Inuyasha as he headed for an up-escalator. "See ya at 7:00 Kagome."

_'Hmmm, now where's he off to in such a hurry,'_ Kagome wondered, watching him over her shoulder as she and Sango set out to do their shopping. Once he was halfway to the top floor, Inuyasha leapt off the escalator and landed on the upper rail, then dropped off and made his way through the crowd of people. _'Man, what would Kagome want for Christmas?!'_ he thought in confusion. _'I need to get her something' she'd like... but WHAT???'_

Seeing as he had zero clue as to what she would like, Inuyasha elected to pick up the gifts he'd decided on for everyone else, just to clear his head. Fifteen minutes later, as he was leaving _**Spencer's**_ **(AN: to pick up Shippo's gift of course)**, he walked past a jewelry store and stopped suddenly. Something in the window had caught his eye, something that caused him to double back and get another look. _'THAT'S IT!!!'_ he thought joyously, a sly grin appearing on his face. _'That's the perfect gift for Kagome!!"_

Inside the window, was a beautiful golden necklace. Each link of 14 carat gold was encrusted with exquisitely cut diamonds that shone with radiance all their own. In the center of the necklace was an emerald with the kanji of love emblazoned on it in silver. Its clasp had a blank space that was reserved for engravings. All in all, it was a truly breath-taking sight.

Fearing that some frantic shopper would snatch up the beautiful piece of jewelry before he could move to buy it, Inuyasha spun around and burst through the door to the jewelers. Upon approaching the counter, a young girl came out of the back room, carrying a load of boxes. "Here, let me help you with those," Inuyasha offered as he took one of the boxes from the girl, setting it down by a display case.

"Why thank you very much... Inuyasha?!" came the girl's surprised voice. Turning around, Inuyasha saw that the voice belonged to none other than Ayumi, one of Kagome's friends from school. "Ayumi, you work here?!"

"Yep, ever since last semester," returned the brainy teen. "So what brings you here around this time of year?"

"Me and the gang are doing some Christmas shopping, and saw that necklace in the window," said the inu-hanyou thumbing at the jewelry in the window, "and I thought..."

"You thought Kagome would want something like that for Christmas, right?"

"Yeah, how much is it?" Ayumi went and unlocked the case, checking the price tag. "About $390.99. But since its Christmas Eve and all, it'll be around $150.99 with the engraving thrown in for free," she said with a smile.

"Really?!?! Aw, thanks Ayumi! You're the best!"

"Yeah, I know. Now, what' you want the engraving to say?"

Inuyasha thought about it for a moment, then an idea came to him. "Have it say, _'I will love you until time itself unravels.'_ How's that sound?" Ayumi smiled at him warmly. "It sounds great Inuyasha," she said as he handed her the money and she gave him his receipt. "Come back here in thirty minutes and I'll have it ready for you."

"Thanks again Ayumi," said Inuyasha as he turned to leave. "I'll see you in thirty. Merry Christmas!"

"Merry Christmas Inuyasha," returned Ayumi as he left to find out where everyone else was. She looked the necklace over a couple of times and smiled as she thought about Kagome's reaction when she saw it. "Well, it's about time those two got together," she said as she went into the back to engrave the jewelry.

* * *

A few minutes after he'd left Ayumi's jewelry shop, Inuyasha found himself looking over the mall's interactive directory in an attempt to determine where everyone would be at. His eyes fell onto the mall's center plaza where Santa Clause was at and a devious grin came to his face._ 'There's no way Shippo'd let Miroku get away with not taking him to see Santa,'_ he thought as he sprinted off to plaza. 

When he was only moments away, the crowd suddenly became a lot thicker. Apparently some electronics store was the last one in the mall to have the Wii, and that was where this crowd was headed. "Screw this!" shouted Inuyasha in annoyance. He crouched low and leapt over the crowd; as he descended, he landed on someone's head, and then leapt to another, repeating the pattern over and over as he used the shopper's heads as stepping-stones. When he was finally free of the crowd, he found that he'd made it to the plaza.

"Well, that was fast," he said as he strode over to the long line of kids that serpentined inside a length of ropes that lead up to Santa's throne. As he looked to the front of the line, he saw Shippo leap off of old St. Nick's lap and onto Miroku's shoulder as the monk bowed to the jolly old man, thanking him for his patience with Shippo.

"Ho, ho, ho, it's no trouble at all Miroku," replied Santa. "He was a very polite young man. Now, remember to leave out those cookies and milk, and say Merry Christmas to Sango for me."

"Of course Santa, and Merry Christmas to you too," said Miroku as he and Shippo descended from the platform. Just then, Inuyasha came up to them and shook hands with Miroku. "Looks like you and Santa had a pleasant chat," said the inu-hanyou. "H was actually a very nice man," returned the monk with a smile. "How did your shopping turn out, Inuyasha?"

"It paned out pretty well, actually. Although I'm still waiting for one present to be finished. Hey, where's Kagome and Sango at? I haven't seen them any where."

"They went over to the skating rink," said Shippo, pointing over Inuyasha's right shoulder. Inuyasha turned to see Kagome skating in a lazy Figure-8 before circling around the rink. As they drew closer, they saw that Sango had activated the blades on the soles of her demon-slayer boots. Since they were laced with dried kappa blood, they glided over the frozen-water with ease. Sango leapt into the air and executed a perfect Triple Axel Spin.

Inuyasha, however, was watching Kagome. As she skated gracefully over the ice, a glow seemed to envelope her. She laughed gleefully as she spun around on one blade, her arms lifted above her head like a ballerina performing onstage. Her beautiful smiled captivated Inuyasha, driving his thoughts towards how in hopelessly in love he was with her. "She's beautiful, isn't she?" asked Miroku, snapping Inuyasha from his thoughts.

"Huh? Oh, yeah. Sango's really good at skating."

"I was talking about Kagome," said the monk with a smile. Inuyasha looked at his friend in surprise. "Don't look so dumb-founded Inuyasha, its not _that _hard to figure out. I've known for awhile how the two of you _truly_ feel for each other Inuyasha, and I believe you will be very happy together. This time of year has the tendency to bring loved-ones closer together, so it's fitting that you would choose to spend this Christmas with her."

"Was it that obvious Miroku?"

"Well, let's see now," said Shippo, putting his finger to chin in mock thought. "You were drooling a minute ago when Kagome was skating, you both argue some much that it's painfully obvious you like each other, you almost kissed her a few months ago, and... OW!" Inuyasha, having heard enough out of the kitsune, had delivered a well-placed "bonk" to his noggin, causing Shippo to massage the lump on his head. "Hey what the heck was that for?!?!!"

"That was for no stopping while you were ahead," retorted Inuyasha, a vein appearing on his forehead.

"Big jerk," mumbled Shippo under his breath as he rubbed his head in discomfort.

"Care to repeat that?" Inuyasha asked, the vein on his forehead growing larger in annoyance.

"I called you a big jerk, ya big, fat, jerk-o!!!"

"YOU WANT ANOTHER LUMP, YA LITTLE PEST?!?!?!"

"BRING IT ON, IDIOT!!!"

"Now, now you two," said Miroku as he separated the two before they leveled the entire mall. "Let's try and act civilized. It is Christmas after all, and Santa is watching you know. Isn't that right, Shippo?" His words calmed Shippo, reminding him of St. Nick's presence. The fox settled down and forced a smile at Inuyasha. "You're right Miroku," he responded. "I'm sorry Inuyasha," he said to his friend, his left eye twitching in annoyance as his voice resonated sarcasm.

"Its okay," returned Inuyasha, remembering Kagome's words from that morning. "I really shouldn't have hit you any way. I'm the one that should be sorry Shippo."

As Shippo sat on Miroku's shoulder, puzzled by Inuyasha's sudden kindness, Inuyasha looked up at the huge clock that hung above the plaza. The face showed it was about 6:35 pm. _'Holy moley!' _he thought. _'I've only got twenty-five minutes to get back to Ayumi's jewelry store and pick up Kagome's necklace before we meet back at the front of the mall! I spent too much time avoiding and getting around those crowds!'_ He turned to look at Kagome one last time before he re-entered the crowds. _'No stalling this time. I'll go through a thousand price-crazed shoppers if it means making Kagome happy this Christmas!'_

"Hey, Miroku, I got to pick up something before we go. Tell Kagome I said 'hi,' okay?"

"Very well Inuyasha," responded the monk with a smile. "Good luck shifting through those crowds."

"Oh, don't worry. They aren't gonna be a problem." And with that, Inuyasha strode towards his destination, then leapt over the heads of a large group of shoppers. _'There's no doubt in my mind those two will make the prefect couple,'_ thought Miroku as he turned back to watch his wife skate,_ 'just as I and Sango have.'_

* * *

Twenty-five minutes later, Inuyasha met up with the rest of his friends, his wallet a little lighter now that he'd burnt the last of his money on Kagome's necklace. When he'd gotten to the jeweler's and picked up the accessory, Ayumi had wished him a Merry Christmas and he'd taken off to the gang's meeting spot. _'Ayumi did an awesome job with the engraving,'_ he thought as he, Miroku, and Shippo waited for the girls to show. At that moment, both he and Miroku looked up to see both Sango and Kagome descending down the escalator. Both had shopping bags in either hand and were laughing about something that they seemed intent on keeping a secret. 

"Looks like you two had fun," surmised Miroku as the girls approached.

"Yes, we most certainly did," replied Sango as she hugged her husband and kissed him on the cheek. Miroku blushed slightly and returned her embrace. Kagome smiled at them and turned to Inuyasha. "How did your shopping trip turn out, Inuyasha?" she asked.

"Well, I managed to find what I was looking for, if that's what you mean," replied the inu-hanyou matter-of-factly.

"That's great," said Sango. "Kagome and I managed to find exactly what I wanted to get you, Miroku dear."

Miroku's eye twitched slightly at this. What on earth could his wife have gotten him for Christmas that could bug him like this?!?! _'This is gonna rack my brain for the rest of the night and I'll never get any sleep!'_ he thought as the mystery continued to nag at the back of his mind. "Don't worry about it Miroku," Sango told her husband, seeing the perplexed look on his face. "All your questions will be answered tomorrow morning."

"Speaking of tomorrow, let's get home so we can wrap these and get to sleep," said Shippo from his perch on Miroku's shoulder.

"That's right," Inuyasha said. "Santa waits for no man, or demon for that matter. So, let's head home and wrap these suckers!"

With that, he, Miroku, and Shippo walked out the mall's doors and out into the snow. "Is that really Inuyasha?" asked Sango as she and Kagome followed them outside. "What the heck happened to him?"

"I guess he finally found his Christmas Spirit after all," replied Kagome with a smile. As they walked back to the Higurashi residence, Kagome and Inuyasha found themselves anxiously awaiting Christmas Morning. They felt like children again, happier than they'd been in a long time. _'I just can wait for Christmas to come!' _they both thought as they strode home through the snow.

* * *

Later that night, after everyone had eaten and finished wrapping their gifts in secret, Shippo insisted that everyone go to bed early. It seemed as though that encounter at the mall had really made an impression on the young kitsune. Not wanting to get his hands crushed under a seal-laden stone, Inuyasha unwillingly agreed to go to bed along with the rest of the gang. After everyone was asleep, Kagome crept silently from her room and down the stairs to place Inuyasha's gift under the tree. She had taken a great deal of effort to keep her gift to him a secret, and she wasn't about to have it spoiled by someone now. 

_'I really hope Inuyasha likes his gift,'_ she thought as she set the elegantly wrapped present under the Christmas tree. The tag read...

_"To Inuyasha, a true and loyal friend, without whom I'd be lost forever. May all your Christmas' be merry and bright." _

Content with her "job-well-done," Kagome turned and headed back up the stairs to her room. As she past Shippo's room, she could hear him mumbling the lyrics to _"The Chipmunk Song"_ by Alvin and the Chipmunks. Stifling a giggle, she strode past Miroku and Sango's room and saw that Sango had fallen asleep in her husband's arms._ 'Aw, man!'_ she thought as she smiled at the couple._ 'It times like these that I wish I had my camera on hand!'_

Passing the couples room, she decided to check up on Inuyasha before going back to bed. Upon opening his door, she found him sleeping soundly under the covers. His ears were twitching as he dreamed, a smile adorning his face that was a rarity for the half-demon. All of a sudden, he spoke in his sleep, causing Kagome to jump slightly.

"Mom, is that you?" he asked. Cleary this dream involved his mother, who had died long ago. "I bought you this new kimono for Christmas." After a moment, he smiled again. "I'm glad you like it. Merry Christmas Mom."

Kagome smiled at his dream-dialogue. Inuyasha needed a good dream like this, especially considering how lonely he got sometimes. She pulled the covers under his chin, then kissed him on the forehead, making his smile even brighter. "Sleep tight Inuyasha," she whispered as she departed for her room. "And, Merry Christmas."

* * *

**Awwww, isn't that sweet :)? Don't stop here gang, keep reading to find out what everyone got for Christmas, and how things will turn out with Inuyasha and Kagome. Trust me, you won't want to miss it.**


	4. Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas

**Sweet! It's Christmas Morning for the cast of Inuyasha! Wonder what everyone got for each other? Let's find out, on it the fic!**

* * *

**Chapter 4: Have Yourself a Merry little Christmas.**

It was finally the day everyone the world over had been waiting for: Christmas. As the first rays of sunlight rose over the horizon, Shippo stirred slightly as a shaft of light from the window of his room in the Higurashi house fell on his eyes. He sat up in bed and yawned, stretching his arms and then rubbing the ambient sleep from his eyes as he went to the window. The snow on the ground glistened magically in morning light. At that point, whatever sleep was left in Shippo's body vanished as he realized what day it was. "IT'S CHRISTMAS!!!" he shouted joyously.

He flew out of his room and headed straight for Kagome's. "Wake up Kagome! Wake up, it's Christmas!!" he exclaimed as he sat on her bedside, shaking her shoulders in an attempt to wake her up. His shaking finally wielded results as she slowly opened her eyes.

"Whu..?What is it Shippo?" she asked sleepily.

"Its Christmas morning Kagome!" he said again as he leapt off her bed. His statement snapped her out of her state of half-sleep instantly as her eyes widened.

"You're right Shippo, it is!" She flung herself out of bed and hastily put on her robe.

"I'm gonna wake everyone up so we can see what Santa left us," the kitsune said as he headed for Miroku and Sango's room. However, before he could get anywhere near the door, Kagome caught him by his shoulders and turned him around to face her.

"How 'bout I wake them up and you get Inuyasha, my mom, grandpa, and Sota? That okay?"

"Sure," he replied as he ran off to wake up Inuyasha. Kagome breathed a sigh of relief and rapped on the door. "What's going on?" came Miroku's tired voice.

"Wake up sleepy-heads, it's Christmas!" A few seconds later, Miroku opened the door dressed in his usual attire, followed by Sango, who was dressed in a beautiful red kimono adorned with white snowflakes. "Thanks for waking us Kagome; I don't want to miss something like this."

"Just be thankful I caught Shippo in time to stop him from opening the door," she replied, prompting an embarrassed blush from both the monk and his wife. As the two headed down stairs, Kagome went to check up on Shippo's progress with waking Inuyasha. She was about a foot away from Inuyasha's room when she heard something that made her cringe.

"HEART SCAR!!!"

A scream of pain emanated from the room, followed by the sound of Inuyasha hitting the floor. Kagome moved out of the way just in time to avoid being bowled over by the half-demon as he ran out of the room on all-fours, Shippo latched onto his shoulder with a bite that could've ripped steel in two. "Get 'em off, get 'em off, get 'em off!" yelled Inuyasha as he ran in circles, attempting to dislodge Shippo anyway he could.

"I aint letting' go 'till you get downstairs" said Shippo bluntly.

"Fine, I'm going'," said Inuyasha as he loped down the stairs and rounded the corner into the living room, at which point Shippo let him go.

Once Kagome had separated Inuyasha and Shippo, who'd begun fighting again, she when to wake up to rest of her family. A few moments later, Mrs. Higurashi, grandpa, and Sota had assembled downstairs. "Merry Christmas everyone," said Kagome cheerfully.

"Merry Christmas dear," said her mom as she gave her a big hug.

"Well, what're we waiting for?" said Sota anxiously. "Let's open our presents!!!"

* * *

Fifteen minutes later, after Kagome and her family had finished opening their presents to one another, Kagome passed out her gifts to her friends. However, Inuyasha insisted on opening his when she opened hers from him. _'Now what's he up to?' _Kagome wondered as Shippo thanked her for the twentieth time after unwrapping his new tools for tormenting Inuyasha. "Thanks a lot Kagome, this is awesome," he said as he slammed the joy-buzzer against Inuyasha's arm.

"YEEEEOOOOW!!" screamed Inuyasha in discomfort. "Yeah, thanks a ton Kagome. More torment for me."

Once he'd calmed down, Miroku handed out his gifts for everyone. Kagome got a book on Shinto seals to use for her _miko_ bow, Inuyasha got a set of Bowie hunting knives (which he knew would come in handy), Shippo got a pair of battle tops and a miniature stadium to use them in, and Kirara received a squeaky mouse which she batted around playfully, the bell she'd got from Kagome ringing with every move she made. "And this is for you my love," said Miroku as he handed a small box to Sango. She opened it quickly then gasped in disbelief and joy.

Inside the box was the most exquisite diamond ring she'd ever seen. It glistened magnificently in the light of the Christmas tree. "Oh Miroku, it's so beautiful!" she exclaimed as he placed it on her ring finger. "Just like you are Sango," he replied with a smile. "Just like you."

Sango smiled brightly as she bent and kissed her husband on the cheek. Miroku embraced her lovingly, then released her so she could hand her gifts to the rest of the gang. _'Now I can finally see this present she's been keeping from me this whole time!'_ he thought as they unwrapped his wife's gifts. Inuyasha had received a blade care-kit for his Tetsusaiga, Kagome got a miniature backpack with a picture of Kirara on it, Shippo received a Super Soaker (which he just had to try out on Inuyasha), and Kirara got a new brush which was made to pamper breeds of the highest pedigree.

Seeing as everyone got their present except him, Miroku's shoulders sagged slightly. Noticing her husband's reaction, Sango pulled him up off his spot on the couch and lead him to their room. "Don't worry Miroku dear," she said with a wink. "I left your present in here for a reason. You'll see what I mean." As he heard Sango close the door to their room, Inuyasha looked over at Kagome and saw that she had a sadistic grin on her face. _"Three, two, one...," _she whispered with a giggle.

"IRK!!!" came Miroku's voice from upstairs, followed by a loud **#KONK#**, signifying that he'd fainted.

"What the hell did Sango get him?" Inuyasha asked Kagome with a raised eyebrow.

"When we split up at the mall yesterday," Kagome explained, "Sango wanted to find something that she could wear that 'knock Miroku senseless.' So, I took her to _**Victoria's Secret **_and she bought a few sets of lingerie. I wonder which one she put on?"

"The black lace one," came Miroku's strained voice from upstairs, prompting a laugh from both Kagome and Inuyasha. Once the monk had collected himself and they had re-gathered downstairs, it was Shippo's turn to spread his own brand of Christmas cheer, as he handed out his presents. He gave Kagome a stuffed animal that looked like a red fox. "Thanks Shippo," she said. "It's so cute!" He gave Inuyasha a special stress-ball that he'd lined with Kevlar, to compensate for his demonic strength. "You trying to tell me something Shippo?" he asked skeptically.

"I just made it so you'd have another outlet for your anger instead of wailing on me all the time," Shippo replied twiddling his thumbs.

"Oh. Well, thanks Shippo. You're alright after all," said Inuyasha, ruffling the kitsune's hair playfully. Shippo then handed Miroku a book on self-control (to help with his womanizing tenancies). And finally, he gave Sango a cat ball he'd made himself for Kirara. The nekomata instantly leapt at the brightly colored ball and began pushing it back and forth between her paws. "Looks like she really likes it Shippo," Sango said with a laugh. "Excellent work."

Once everyone had had a turn passing Kirara the cat ball, Inuyasha handed everyone his gifts. Miroku received a pair of blinders that a horse would wear. "Ha, ha, ha," Miroku laughed in annoyance. "Very funny, Inuyasha."

"Well, I guess that's one way to keep him from womanizing," Sango giggled. The rest of the gang had to laugh to as she put the blinders on her husband. They laughed even louder when he tried to walk and only made it three steps before face-faulting to the floor. Inuyasha then handed Sango her gift, which turned out be a bandoleer full of throwing-knives. Shippo was next, receiving a remote-control airplane which he immediately started playing with. As he handed Kagome her present, she gave him hers and they stared at one another for a moment. "You ready Kagome?" he asked her sometime later.

"Yes!" she replied with a childish gleam in her eye. "Let's open them right now!"

"Alright!" Inuyasha said with a laugh as they tore into each other's gifts simultaneously. However, when he saw her gift to him, it paled in comparison to the one he'd given her. She had used her _miko_ powers to purify Tetsusaiga's sheath, making it like new again! The silk was incredibly smooth, and the entire sheath looked as though it hadn't been touched by time at all. But that wasn't all: Kagome had actually given her only Shikon Jewel fragment to him by integrating it into the Tetsusaiga's hilt! As he unsheathed the blade, an inscription appeared on its flat that hadn't been there before. It read:

_To my beloved son, Inuyasha. May this great fang serve you well as you forge ahead to protect those most precious to you. _

_'Aw, dad,'_ Inuyasha thought, with a tear rolling down his cheek. _'You really did mean for me to have the Tetsusaiga after all. Thanks, wherever you are.'_ It was at that moment that he heard Kagome gasp at the sight of his gift to her. "Oh, Inuyasha," she marveled. "It's so beautiful. How did you ever pay for it?"

"I never really needed to," he said as he clasped it around her neck. "Love pays for itself in due time." She simply smiled at his somewhat corny attempt at romance. "You are most certainly right Inuyasha," she said lovingly. "It really does."

"Hey guys," came a voice from above them. Inuyasha and Kagome looked up to see Shippo hanging over their head by one of the rafters, a clove of mistletoe in the one hand that he wasn't using to keep himself anchored to the ceiling. "Hee, hee, hee!" he chuckled as he dangled the herb over the two lover's heads. Inuyasha grinned at Shippo, then at Kagome playfully. "What're you smiling at?" she asked suspiciously.

"You know the rules about this thing, baby," he said as he gestured at the mistletoe, waggling his eyebrows. Kagome got what he meant and returned his grin.

"Yes I remember the rules, dog-boy," she said with a sultry tone in her voice. "So pucker up puppy-breath!" With that, she and Inuyasha locked lips for the first time in months, prompting a cheer from all that were present. _'And the best part is that they have no clue that I've got a spy-cam hidden in the mistletoe,' _Shippo thought with an audible snicker.

"And Shippo," Kagome remarked as she and Inuyasha parted lips for a moment. "If I see this on Youtube, you're dead-meat... got it?"

Upon seeing the frightened expression on the young kitsune's face, everyone in the room laughed out-loud. After he'd finally caught his breath, Inuyasha scooted next to Kagome and put his arm around her shoulder. "Merry Christmas Kagome-chan," he whispered in her ear.

"Merry Christmas to you too, Inuyasha-kun," she replied as she laid her head on his shoulder. And it was. For both those from the present, and for those from the feudal time as well. It was indeed a very, Merry Christmas.

**The End.**

* * *

**Well there you have it folks, my first Christmas fic! Whew that took a long time to write. But, now that it's finished, I have some new fics that I've thought up over the holidays that I'm sure you'll enjoy once I post them. Until next time, this is Kung-Fu Kid 91 reminding you to keep on writing, and have a Merry Christmas!**


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